Details: A project that features affordable senior housing as well as medical and public uses is underway in Jordan.

Brentwood Court, a two-building campus that broke ground in May, will be anchored by 50 units of senior housing provided by Scott County.

In an unusual spin, the apartment building will also include a new 8,000-square-foot library branch for Jordan, replacing a cramped facility in the city's downtown.

The decision to put the library in the new development came after a long and sometimes bitter debate from residents who wanted a new facility in Jordan's historic downtown. Others, however, argued that would be too costly and instead called for the library's inclusion in Brentwood Court as a cost-effective opportunity.

Under the deal that was reached, the county loaned the city $1 million -- saving it $60,000 in bond transaction fees -- and coupled the library project with the senior housing in one of the buildings.

The other part of the Brentwood Court campus is a new health clinic and pharmacy to be leased to St. Francis Regional Medical Center. The clinic will measure 5,000 square feet and the pharmacy (including a drive-through window) 2,500 square feet.

The project's unique combination of elements has already earned it a merit award from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, which cited its creativity in bringing together separate uses into a cohesive whole.

"The synergies really work in this development because it answers a lot of needs," said Bill Jaffa, executive director of the Scott County Community Development Agency.

Although Jordan has about 5,500 residents, he said, "they don't have a medical clinic and they've not had a pharmacy since 1998."